Cool Web Tools -- 2 Out of 3 Free

The Free Graphics Store

"Free" is the most overused word on the Internet, but in this case, the Free Graphics Store really does mean it. This Web tool delivers exactly what it advertises: free graphics.

The site offers a huge list of free graphics that you can use for your website design. For example, you can choose 15 Everyday Objects, 18 Assorted Graphics, 48 Bullets, Animations, Icons, Backgrounds, Tiled Backgrounds. That's just a small sampling; the list goes on and on.

Now is the site really free? Where can you use these graphics, and are there any restrictions? It says youre free to use them on private or commercial sites. You cant resell them, you cant claim them as yours, and you cant copy their pages. You just have to download the items you want.

Clicking on the extras menu at the very top of the page gives you even more freebies that you can use on your website or in any business application that you have. If you need design elements for your website, go take a look at the Free Graphics Store.

Instant Domain Search

Searching for an available domain name used to be a royal pain in the well, you know. I used to brainstorm for a new domain name -- Im sure youll relate to this -- by going to a site like GoDaddy.com and typing my idea into the search box.

Then I'd wait for the results to come back, which took ages. And of course, Id have to repeat the process for each variation that I wanted.

Now, I have no idea how they do it but as you type your ideas into the search box, you instantly see whether a domain is available as a .com, a .net or a .org. Absolutely brilliant! I hope you can benefit from this nifty Web tool.

Membership Site Advisor

Here's a Web tool designed to help you develop a paid membership site. Its called MembershipSiteAdvisor. It offers a variety of resources to help you earn income from your own membership site -- including the free software to run it. You know what we mean by a membership site, right? Like Nifty Clicks.

On the home page youll find a list of articles related to developing a membership site. For example, an article called Building an AdSense-driven site asks the question which generates more income  a free site monetized by AdSense, a paid membership site, or some combination of the two?

Thats an interesting question. Of course, to get the answer you need to be a member. MembershipSiteAdvisor charges $19.95 for one-month access.

Some of the resources that are available to members include real-life case studies, free membership management software, audio tutorials, and of course the articles.

The site does offer some free content: a mini-course on creating a membership site from scratch. Well, you do have to enter your email and name to get at it, though.

Heres what I got after I entered my email: an audio interview with the editor of MembershipSiteAdvisor.com and a video -- or at least part of one -- documenting the creation of a membership site. The entire video is restricted to paying subscribers.

If youre passionate about a topic, why not turn it into your own paid membership website? MembershipSiteAdvisor might well give you all the information and encouragement you need to be successful at it.

Andrew Lock is a self-described maverick marketer and the creator and host of Help! My Business Sucks, a free, weekly Web TV show full of practical marketing tips, advice and resources to help small businesses "get more done and have more fun."

Do you have a comment or question about this article or other small business topics in general? Speak out in the SmallBusinessComputing.com Forums. Join the discussion today!

Please enable Javascript in your browser, before you post the comment! Now Javascript is disabled.

Comment and Contribute

Your name/nickname

Your email

Website

Subject

Get free tips, news and advice on how to make technology work harder for your business.